MOSCOW – Russia’s top general has said that US missile defence plans are directed against his country and differences over the issue are holding up an arms treaty with Washington, Russian news agencies have reported.
The renewed blast from Moscow yesterday raised questions about the chances of an early agreement on a successor to a cold war-era nuclear arms reduction treaty that expired in December.
Interfax news agency quoted Russian armed forces chief of staff Gen Nikolai Makarov as saying: “The development and establishment of the US] missile shield is directed against the Russian Federation.” A US defence official rejected his comment.
Washington has insisted its plans for a limited missile defence are intended to intercept a small number of warheads that might be fired by a “rogue state” such as Iran or North Korea.
US president Barack Obama pleased Russia by scrapping the previous administration’s plans to deploy elements of a missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic, which was bitterly opposed by Moscow. Gen Makarov however said Russia still had serious concerns about Mr Obama’s revised plans, which are based on sea- and land-based missile interceptors in Europe, despite US insistence that they are no threat to Russia.
“Despite the declarations of those statesmen who say that, on the contrary it provides for our security, that’s far from the case,” state-run RIA news agency quoted him as saying.
A US defence official in Washington, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said: “Those missile defence initiatives are not and never have been designed around Russian capabilities. We consider Russia a partner and friend in promoting stability and security in the region.”
Russian and US officials have said they are close to agreement on a successor to the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty – a key part of efforts to improve relations that sank to a post-cold war low after Russia’s war with Georgia in 2008. However Gen Makarov said differences over missile defence were among reasons “why we have not yet reached a signing of this agreement,” RIA quoted him as saying. – (Reuters)